Things on Bee Legs

[MrILoveTheAnts]

I think this was already a topic sometime last year. I found a bee that has what look to be stingers or plant bits attached to it's legs. Anyone know what they are?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/mrilovetheants/Bees%202008/Beewithstuffonlegs.jpg

[the kid]

that must bee some one thats marking your bees  :-D :evil: ;)...     so that when you say its not my bees     :-X :-X  they can look for bees with crap stuck to there legs ,, then they know it was yours  :shock: :shock: :'( ;) ;) ;)


it must bee left over from the party they were at last night
the kid

[Moonshae]

It's a particular type of pollen, but I'm not sure which kind. I remember seeing the similar pics last year, too.

[KONASDAD]

Look like clematis pollen strands to me. Mine has lots of those strands presently.

[Bill W.]

Could it be a plant with particularly sticky pollen and the bee has dislodged the stamens?

[Cindi]

MILTA.  No.  I think that what you are seeing is a propolis collecting worker bee.  She has been gathering propolis and "stuff" has attached to the sticky propolis on her hind tarsi, I am positive that is what is going on.  Propolis is so sticky, that quite often the bees have to have another bee help to remove it from her tarsi.  I would imagine sometimes she could do it herself, but others help her.  Beautiful and most wonderful day, Cindi

[twb]

Sorry to bring back an old post but I am catching up on lost time.  I am almost positive the "things" you see on bee's legs are from the milkweed blossoms.  Many times the bee's legs actually get stuck in the blossoms and they end up dead hanging from the flower.  When I do bee talks to kids I have a milkweed blossom picture and I tell the kids to look for these things you saw on the bee's legs.